[wpietri]

Note that Jobs didn't turn around Apple alone. He had built an entire separate company with a strong team and a strong technology. That was vital to the turnaround. In some ways, Apple didn't acquire Next; Next ate Apple from within. Aided, of course, by Jobs knowing the company and its markets inside and out.

And that wasn't enough; 3 years later they got their new OS out, but they were still a small player in their markets.

It was something like 4 years from takeover until they released the iPod, and circa 7 years before the stock really started to take off.

Even Yahoo can survive long enough for Mayer to find some new multi-billion idea, I'm not sure whether key shareholders or the board will give her enough rope to make significant changes.